Air Quality A Perspective

Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee

July 22, 2020

Harrisburg, PATom Wolf, Governor Patrick McDonnell, Secretary

– Perception of our Air

– Historical Emissions Trends

– Ozone Design Values

– Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Design Values

• Annual

• Daily

– Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Design Values

– Challenges

– EPA’s View

– The AQI

– Then and Now

Agenda

2

Corner of 5th and Liberty circa 1940

Corner of Liberty and Fifth Avenue (Archives Services Center, U. of Pittsburgh))

3

Recent Headlines-– U.S. air quality is getting worse. Here are the costs- Oct 23, 2019

– 20 Pa. counties, including several near Clairton Coke Works, on code orange air quality alert –FEB 4, 2019

– Six mid-state counties on code orange air quality alert - FEB 5,2019

– Snow-less in Boston. From deep freeze to “air quality” alert in Philly. What is with this winter?- FEB 3, 2019

– Group says air quality in Pennsylvania is getting worse –JULY 15, 2018

– Editorial: We need to know what's in our air- APRIL 14,2019

Perception

4

https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2019/02/04/20-pa-counties-including-several-near-clairton-coke-works-on-code-orange-air-quality-alert/http://www.witf.org/news/2019/02/six-midstate-counties-on-code-orange-air-quality-alert.phphttp://www.witf.org/news/2018/07/group-says-air-quality-in-pennsylvania-is-getting-worse.phphttps://www.philly.com/news/philadelphia-snow-boston-raleigh-winter-new-york-blizzard-equinox-20190203.htmlhttps://poststar.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-we-need-to-know-what-s-in-our-air/article e7512fd9-799a-59d0-a55c-b492d5144aeb.htmlhttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/u-s-air-quality-is-getting-worse-here-are-the-costs

– The 2017 American Lung Association report ranks Philadelphia #24 nationally for ozone pollution

– Pittsburgh and Lancaster are tied for #8, Philadelphia at #12, Harrisburg at #15 and Johnstown at #18 for long term fine particulate pollution

– Pittsburgh is ranked at #10, Lancaster at #13 and Harrisburg at #22 for short term fine particulate pollution

Perception

5

https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html

American Lung Association

- 14 counties are graded as an F, eight get a D, six get a C, six get a B and only two get an A ( Bradford and Franklin) for Ozone pollution

- Four counties get an F, one gets a D, three get a C, seven get a B and nine get an A short term fine particulate pollution

Perception

6

https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/sota/city-rankings/states/pennsylvania/

The Penn Environment Policy and Research Center issued a report in July of 2018 named Trouble in the Air -

"The Gettysburg area experienced 81 days of degraded air quality. York and Hanover experienced 128 bad air days. Harrisburg suffered 132 days of bad air,.. and finally in Lebanon and Lancaster there were over 170 bad air days. That's one out of every two days," she said.

Perception

7

https://pennenvironmentcenter.org/reports/pae/trouble-airhttp://www.witf.org/news/2018/07/group-says-air-quality-in-pennsylvania-is-getting-worse.php

Emissions Trends

8

NOx Emissions (Tons)

90

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

NOx Emissions (Tons)

NOx Emissions are down 83%

SOx Emissions (Tons)

10

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

SOx Emissions (Tons)

SOx Emissions are down 93%

PM Emissions (Tons) Particulate Matter Emissions (Tons)

50,000

PM Emissions are down 31% 45,000

40,000

35,000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

• Particulate Matter 10 Microns Particulate Matter 2.5

11

VOC Emissions (Tons)

12

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

VOC Emissions (Tons)

VOC Emissions are down 60%

Total Emissions (Tons) Total Criteria Pollutants (Tons)

2,000,000

1,800,000

1,600,000

Total Emissions are down 88% 1,400,000

1,200,000

1,000,000

800,000

600,000

400,000

200,000

0

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

• NOx • SOx • PM10 PM2.5 • voe 13

Total Emissions (Tons)

14

0

20000000

40000000

60000000

80000000

100000000

120000000

140000000

160000000

180000000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Total Criteria Pollutants (Tons)

Historical 8-hour Ozone Concentrations in PA

15

1980 8-Hour Ozone Design Values

Appearing in Red - 1980 8-Hour Ozone Design Value above 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 1980 8-Hour Ozone Design Value at or below 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

16

1991 8-Hour Ozone Design Values

88

V!l.RREN

CRA\"'1'0RD

MERCER

90

89

:As BEl.vfR

BUTLER

SOr.ERSET FAYETTE

Appearing in Red - 1991 8-Hour Ozone Design Value above 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 1991 8-Hour Ozone Design Value at or below 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

17

92

2002 8-Hour Ozone Design Values

88

\i.RREH IACKEAPI BRADFORD ~IQUEH~tOl4

POTTER CRA\'IFORD 83 •

tERCER

LYCOM l/G

BUTLER

Appearing in Red - 2002 8-Hour Ozone Design Value above 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 2002 8-Hour Ozone Design Value at or below 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

18

83

2005 8-Hour Ozone Design Values

83

\i.RREH IACKEAPI BRADFORD ~IQUEH~tOl4

POTTER CRA\'IFORD 81 •

tERCER

LYCO UG

BUTLER

Appearing in Red - 2005 8-Hour Ozone Design Value above 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 2005 8-Hour Ozone Design Value at or below 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

19

2016 8-Hour Ozone Design Values

20

65

CIU.V#ORO

r---- 66 • t.ERCEll

68

2017 8-Hour Ozone Design Values

Wd\Afl/

66

.CKEAN

66

• CLEA Rf ELD

POTTER TIOGA

BR,;.DFORD 57

• 64

• SliLL I/Ali

SUSQUUIAllPIA

BUTLER

65

lll.DfORD

70 66 66"'\. LA~Amtt

vof" '--70 •

Appearing in Red - 2017 8-Hour Ozone Design Value above 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 201 7 8-Hour Ozone Design Value at or below 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard) 21

CRA\Jl'ORD

---~--65 • IERCER

69

2018 8-Hour Ozone Design Values

VARRfl• ".'C EAll

64

• CLEARflELC

POTTER TIOGA BRADFORD

64

• 59

•

BlJTlER

CREE <E 66 • FAYETTE

69 63 65~ u.11: ... mO

vof K 67

•

Appearing in Red - 2018 8-Hour Ozone Design Value above 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 2018 8-Hour Ozone Design Value at or below 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard) 22

CRA\#ORD

-----63" • t.£RCER

67

61 uvO t.cE

GREEl,f 63" •

BlJTlER

2019 8-Hour Ozone Design Values

As of October 22, 2019 - 2019 Ozone Data Has Not Been Fully QA/QC'd

VARRfl•

FAYETTE

:c EAll

60 • CLEARflELC

POTTER TIOGA BRADFORD 57

60 • •

67 62 63~ u.11: ... mO

vof K 61

•

Appearing in Red - Projected 2019 8-Hour Ozone Design Value above 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard)

Appearing in Blue - Projected 2019 8-Hour Ozone Design Value at or below 70 ppb (2015 Ozone Standard) 23

Historical Annual PM2.5

Concentrations in PA

24

2005 Annual PM 2.5 Design Values

CIUWFORD

r.ERCER

13.7

BUTLER

• 1~6.4 AR,,.STRDt<G

BE..v'ER 13.6 ALLEG NY. ,J.14.4'

13 6 15.4 ...... • . • • 16.6

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1~15.1 w. 0 ..i;Tot<

SOr.ERSET FAYETTE

GREEr E

Appearing in Red - 2005 Annual PM2.5 Design Value above 12.0 ug/m3 (2012 PM2.5 Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 2005 24-Hour PM2.5 Design Value at or below 12.0 ug/m3 (2012 PM2.5 Standard)

25

2016 Annual PM2.5 Design Values

26

2019 Annual PM 2.5 Design Values

Appearing in Red - 2019 Annual PM25 Design Values Above the Standard of 12.0 ugfm3

Appearing in Blue - 2019 Annual PM25 Design Values Below the Standard of 12.0 ug/m3

27

Historical 24-hour PM2.5

Concentrations in PA

28

2005 24-hour PM 2.5 Design Values

Appearing in Red - 2005 24-Hour PM2.5 Design Value above 35 ug/m3 (2006 PM2.5 Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 2005 24-Hour PM2.5 Design Value at or below 35 ug/m3 (2006 PM2.5 Standard)

29

2016 24-hour PM2.5 Design Values

30

22

21 • 17 •

2017 24-hour PM 2.5 Design Values

_rec

17 •

Appearing in Red - 2017 24-hou r PM25 0esign Values Above the Standard of 35 ug/m3

Appearing in Blue - 2017 24-hour PM25 Design Values Below the Standard of 35 ug/m3

31

C r "

21

T "'.

•

•

2018 24-hour PM 2.5 Design Values

TIOGA " 17 •

Appearing in Red - 2019 24-hour PM25 0esign Values Above the Standard of 35 ug/m3

Appearing in Blue - 2019 24-hour PM25 Design Values Below the Standard of 35 ug/m3

32

Historical 1-hour SO2

Concentrations in PA

33

1980 1-hour 502 Design Values

11ARREtl MCKEAll TIOGA BRADFORD

Wl00Ett>.t4!1A

POITER CRA11FORO

r.ERCER

GREEt f

JU'FERSO"

ELK

CJ.MOR A

1so·

AO.. ,

Appearing in Red - 1980 1-Hour S02 Design Value above 75 ppb (2010 S02 Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 1980 1-Hour S02 Design Value at or below 75 ppb (2015 S02 Standard)

34

19911-hour 502 Design Values

174

Appearing in Red - 1991 1-Hour S02 Design Value above 75 ppb (2010 S02 Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 1991 1-Hour S02 Design Value at or below 75 ppb (2015 S02 Standard)

35

58

79

2005 1-hour 502 Design Values

235 62 \URE~

CRA\'IFORO

tERCER

BUTLER

SOtERSET FAYETTE

Appearing in Red - 2005 1-Hour S02 Design Value above 75 ppb (2010 S02 Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 2005 1-Hour S02 Design Value at or below 75 ppb (2015 S02 Standard)

36

2016 1-hour SO2 Design Values

37

CRAWFORD

2019 1-hour 502 Design Values

llCKE AN TIOG" BRADFORD

SUSOUEHANN,... POTIER

Appearing in Red - 2019 1-Hour S02 Design Value above 75 ppb (2010 S02 Standard)

Appearing in Blue - 2019 1-Hour S02Design Value at or below 75 ppb (20 10 S02Standard)

Asterick (")Appearing Behind the 2019 1-Hour S02 Design Value Means the Data is Incomplete Durin g 3-Year Period 38

Challenges

39

Of course we still have challenges

40

• Staffing and funding are always a challenge.• We have an ozone issue in Philadelphia that will not be easy to solve.• There are facilities statewide that we spend quite a bit of time on from coke

batteries to zinc smelters.• We have picked the most of the low hanging fruit so future improvements

will require a lot more effort. • Cars are cleaner.• Major facilities have emissions controls.• We have taken lead out of gasoline.

• Asthma rates have climbed from 3.1% in 1980 to 10.1% in 2015.• Approximately 90% of adults from western countries spend almost 22 hours

a day INDOORS where air pollution can be many times worse than outdoor air.

• Children spend half the time their parents did playing outside.• Medical research indicates possible health effects at levels below the

current NAAQS.

https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most recent data states.htmhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/sponsor-story/velux/2018/05/15/indoor-generation-and-health-risks-spending-more-time-inside/610289002/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jul/27/children-spend-only-half-the-time-playing-outside-as-their-parents-did

EPA’s View

41

EPA’s View

42https://gispub.epa.gov/air/trendsreport/2018/documentation/AirTrends Flyer.pdf

EPA’s View

43https://gispub.epa.gov/air/trendsreport/2018/#growth w cleaner air

262%

189%

59%

44%

-73%

23%

EPA’s View

44https://gispub.epa.gov/air/trendsreport/2018/#growth w cleaner air

SO2 Satellite Imagery

45

Air Quality Index

46

100.00%

90.00%

80.00%

70.00%

60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%

- Very Unhealthy

- unhealthy

- unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

Moderate

- Good

Historic AQI

::: .... =---~ -

Then and Now

48

Corner of 5th and Liberty circa 1940

Corner of Liberty and Fifth Avenue (Archives Services Center, U. of Pittsburgh))

49

Corner of 5th and Liberty Today

50

Bureau of Air Quality

Nick Lazor Environmental Program Manager Air Quality Monitoring Division

717-783-9268 nlazor@pa.gov